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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. drill — army training
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. lie — to recline
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. key — in music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. drill — the tool
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. key — the most important part
  13. drill — a practice
  14. kick — in football
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. roll — a cake
  20. saw — the tool
  21. suit — clothes
  22. key — for a lock
  23. saw — the tool
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com